Sourdough Apple Fritter Muffins
These Sourdough Apple Fritter Muffins are everything I adore about fall baking! Soft and tender with pockets of spiced apple, a butter crumble on top, and a sweet vanilla glaze that gives all the nostalgic apple fritter vibes, if you're craving a bakery-style muffin that still feed homemade and special this is it.
Equipment
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin - for baking muffins.
- Muffin liners - to avoid burned edges.
- Kitchen scale (optional) - for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking.
- 1/4 cup scoop - for scooping batter.
- Hand mixer or Whisk - for mixing batter.
- Spatula - for folding in apples.
- Mixing bowls - for mixing batter, crumble, and icing.
- Cooling rack - for cooling muffins.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120g) sourdough discard 100% hydration
- ⅔ cup (170g) buttermilk or milk
- ⅓ cup (80g) granulated white sugar
- 3 Tbsp (40g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 4 Tbsp (60g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 4 Tbsp (60g) avocado oil
- ⅓ cup (80g) sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Apple Mixture:
- 2 Granny Smith apples peeled and diced small
- 1 ½ Tbsp (15g) lemon juice
- ⅓ cup (65g) light brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1 Tablespoon (15g) flour
Crumble Topping:
- 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter melted
- 2/3 cup (80g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (65g) light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Vanilla Glaze:
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk or cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Step 1: Mix the Batter
- Melt your butter in a microwave safe bowl and allow to cool gently.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, buttermilk or milk, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, oil, sour cream and vanilla.½ cup (120g) sourdough discard, ⅔ cup (170g) buttermilk or milk, ⅓ cup (80g) granulated white sugar, 3 Tbsp (40g) packed light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 4 Tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, 4 Tbsp (60g) avocado oil, ⅓ cup (80g) sour cream, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt
- Add dry ingredients to wet. Mix wet ingredients with a whisk or a hand mixer until everything is well combined. Do not overmix or your muffins will become tough.
- Overnight Fermentation: Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8–12 hours for added fermentation benefits. If baking same day, skip this step.
Step 2: Prepare the Apples
- Continued Overnight Fermentation: If you fermented batter overnight, remove from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for an hour to soften the batter.
- Wash and peel your apples. Cut and dice into small 1/8 inch cubes. You don't want your apples too large, or they won't cook through.2 Granny Smith apples
- Toss the apples into a bowl and coat with the lemon juice. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon cardamom, and flour to the bowl. Toss the apples to coat well, then allow to rest 10 minutes so the lemon juice starts to break down the apples.1 ½ Tbsp (15g) lemon juice, ⅓ cup (65g) light brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 1 Tablespoon (15g) flour
- Once apples have rested, add to your muffin batter and fold into the dough until apples are well incorporated.
Step 3: Make the Crumble
- In a small bowl, melt butter needed for the crumble. Add the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and salt to the melted butter. Using a spoon or your fingers, combine ingredients until butter has been incorporated and you have a crumbly mixture. Set aside for later.6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, 2/3 cup (80g) all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup (65g) light brown sugar, 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 1/4 tsp sea salt
Step 4: Assemble and Bake
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment liners, and gently spray with cooking spray to avoid sticking.
- Scoop 1/4 cup muffin batter into each muffin cup.
- Top each muffin with 1 Tablespoon of crumble, and gently press down with your fingers to help crumble stick to the muffin tops.
- Place the muffins in the oven and bake at 400°F for 6 minutes, then without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 18-20 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step 5: Make Drizzle and Glaze
- Sift powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Add vanilla and 1 Tablespoon of milk. Using a whisk, combine ingredients. If glaze is too thick, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until glaze is thick but pourable.½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp milk or cream, ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Drizzle fresh glaze over the tops of cooled muffins. Allow the glaze to rest 15 minutes to set before serving.
- Enjoy your Sourdough Apple Fritter Muffins!